Nancy Drew and the Perplexing Peanut Plotline

Here's a mystery some parents are trying to figure out about the new Nancy Drew movie (starring Emma Roberts, right): Why did super-smart Nancy perform a ballpoint-pen tracheotomy on a party guest having a severe reaction to peanuts instead of, say, checking the girl's purse for an EpiPen? I haven't seen the movie to say whether that possibility was accounted for, but since the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network has issued a statement complaining about the scene, I'm guessing it was done more for drama than necessity.

And sure, it's a movie's duty to entertain, and not necessarily to be a public service announcement for proper anaphylaxis treatment. At least the movie showed peanut allergies as something serious and life-threatening, and worth taking seriously. At the same time, though, the movie is marketed to an audience that tends to take what they see on screen at face value. You can't blame kids with peanut allergies, or their parents, for worrying that classmates will believe there's nothing to do for a child in shock but cut their throat open.

The movie might present a good opportunity for talking to school groups about what they should really do if a friend has a bad reaction to peanuts, and send a message about the importance of prevention. If you'd also like to send a message to the movie's producers about responsible depiction of children's medical emergencies, the Check My Tag blog has a call to arms and an address to mail to.